Hands-on preview: Sony SLT-A55V and SLT-A33
Sony introduces its long-anticipated ILCs that incorporate a first-for-digital translucent-mirror system, optimized for video capture and burst shooting.
In what is--seriously--the worst-kept secret of the summer, Sony officially announced the first members of its innovative new series of cameras, the Alpha SLT-A33 and SLT-A55V, which are the first cameras to incorporate translucent mirrors. I, along with about 15 other reviewers, got a chance to shoot with the cameras--as per our policy CNET footed the bill for my trip rather than Sony--and have sample photos and some preliminary analysis of the photo and video quality and ergonomics of the cameras.
Also known as a pellicle mirror, a TM passes most of the light from the lens through a fixed semitransparent mirror, reflecting a small bit of the light upward to a separate phase-detection autofocus sensor. This is how Sony achieves the faster phase-detect continuous AF for movie capture, while most current interchangeable-lens cameras (ILCs) and dSLRs use the slower contrast AF, which is based off the imaging sensor.
One doesn't necessarily need to use a mirror to incorporate phase detection, though; for example, Fujifilm's recent F300 EXR and F800 EXR point-and-shoots use a phase-detection array layered over the image sensor. Because many older dSLR-mount lenses can only work with phase-detection AF--that's why ILC adapters for older lenses generally don't support AF--Sony's system enables autofocus when using those lenses for shooting video.
Most traditional lenses have noisy focusing and aperture activation mechanisms, however, which makes them unsuited for video AF. Sony says it focuses so quickly that the noise should be barely perceptible, and that anyway you should use one of the new dedicated microphones (models ECM-ALST1 and ECM-CG50) for better separation from the lens. I didn't get a chance to test Sony's audio claims. The quieter lens is one of the rationales behind the electromagnetic activation in the NEX series' E-mount lenses, and it's hard not to feel like Sony's entering some confusing territory by pairing its most video-oriented still camera with its old-fashioned lens system. The cameras also update to a 1200-zone metering system.
The A33 has a traditional dSLR analog, the DSLR-A560, announced at the same time, which replaces the A550 and A500. Here's Sony's current sub-$1,000 Alpha lineup:
Sony Alpha DSLR-A560 | Sony Alpha SLT-A33 | Sony Alpha SLT-A55 | |||
Sensor (effective resolution) | 14.2-megapixel CCD | 14.2-megapixel CCD | 14.2-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS | 14.2-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS | 16.2-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS |
23.6 mm x 15.7mm | 23.6 x 15.7mm | 23.5 mm x 15.6mm | 23.5 mm x 15.6mm | 23.5 mm x 15.6mm | |
Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 3200 | ISO 100 - ISO 3200 | ISO 100 - ISO 1600/ 12,800 (expanded) | ISO 100 - ISO 1600/ 12,800 (expanded) | ISO 100 - ISO 1600/ 12,800 (expanded) |
Continuous shooting | 2.5 fps n/a | 2.5fps n/a | 3 fps (7fps without AF) 7 raw/27 JPEG | 6 fps (7fps with aperture locked wide open) 20 raw/35 JPEG | 6 fps (10fps with aperture locked wide open) 20 raw/35 JPEG |
Viewfinder magnification/ effective magnification | Optical 95% coverage 0.83x/0.55x | Optical 95% coverage 0.74x/0.49x | Optical 95% coverage 0.80x/0.53x | Electronic 0.46 inches/1.2 megapixels 100% coverage 1.1x/0.73x | Electronic 0.46 inches/1.2 megapixels 100% coverage 1.1x/0.73x |
Autofocus | 9-pt AF center cross-type | 9-pt AF center cross-type | 15-pt AF 3 cross-type | 15-pt AF 3 cross-type | 15-pt AF 3 cross-type |
Shutter speed | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/160 x-sync | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/160 x-sync | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/160 x-sync | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/100 x-sync | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/100 x-sync |
Metering | 40 segment | 40 segment | 1200 zone | 1200 zone | 1200 zone |
Live View | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Video | No | No | AVCHD 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps | AVCHD 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps | AVCHD 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps |
LCD size | 2.7 inches fixed 230,400 dots | 2.7 inches tiltable 230,400 dots | 3 inches tiltable 921,600 dots | 3 inches articulated 921,600 dots | 3 inches articulated 921,600 dots |
Wireless flash | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Battery life (CIPA rating) | 500 shots | 510 shots | 1050 shots | 330 shots | 330 shots |
Dimensions (inches, WHD) | 5.1 x 3.9 x 3.3 | 5.1 x 3.9 x 3.4 | 5.4 x 4.1 x 3.3 | 4.9 x 3.6 x 3.3 | 4.9 x 3.6 x 3.3 |
Body operating weight (ounces) | 17.9 (est) | 19.4 (est) | 21.1 (est) | 17.4 (est) | 17.4 (est) |
Mfr. Price | n/a | n/a | $649.99 (body only) | $649.99 (body only) | $749.99 (body only) |
$499.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $549.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $749.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $749.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $849.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | |
n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
Ship date | July 2010 | July 2010 | October 2010 | August 2010 | September 2010 |
The SLTs seem to compete more with the dSLRs than they do with their ILC cousins, the
Sony Alpha SLT-A33 | Sony Alpha SLT-A55 | ||||
Sensor (effective resolution) | 12.1-megapixel Live MOS | 12.1-megapixel Live MOS | 14.6-megapixel CMOS | 14.2-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS | 16.2-megapixel Exmor HD CMOS |
17.3 x 13.0mm | 17.3 x 13.0mm | 23.4mm x 15.6mm | 23.5 mm x 15.6mm | 23.5 mm x 15.6mm | |
Focal-length multiplier | 2.0x | 2.0x | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x |
Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 6400 | ISO 100 - ISO 3200 | ISO 100 - ISO 3200 | ISO 100 - ISO 1600/ 12,800 (expanded) | ISO 100 - ISO 1600/ 12,800 (expanded) |
Continuous shooting | 3.2 fps unlimited JPEG/ 7 raw | 3.0 fps unlimited JPEG/ 7 raw | 3.0 fps 10 JPEG/ 3 raw | 6 fps (7fps with aperture locked open) 20 raw/35 JPEG | 6 fps (10fps with aperture locked open) 20 raw/35 JPEG |
Viewfinder magnification/ effective magnification | Electronic n/a/1.4 million dots 100% coverage 1.4xx/0.7x magnification | Electronic n/a/1.4 million dots 100% coverage 1.4xx/0.7x magnification | Electronic n/a/1.4 million dots 100% coverage 0.86x/0.57x magnification | Electronic 0.46 inches/1.2 million dots 100% coverage 1.1x/0.73x | Electronic 0.46 inches/1.2 million dots 100% coverage 1.1x/0.73x |
Autofocus | 23-area contrast AF | 23-area contrast AF | 15-point contrast AF | 15-pt phase-detection AF 3 cross-type | 15-pt phase-detection AF 3 cross-type |
Shutter speed | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb up to 4 minutes; 1/160 x-sync | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb up to 4 minutes; 1/160 x-sync | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb to 8 minutes | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/100 x-sync | 1/4000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/100 x-sync |
Metering | 144 zone | 144 zone | 247 segment | 1200 zone | 1200 zone |
Image stabilization | Optical | Optical | Optical | Sensor shift | Sensor shift |
Video | AVCHD Lite 720/30p or Motion JPEG MOV | AVCHD 1080/60i (24p sensor output) @ 17Mbps; 720/60p @ 17, 13, 9 Mbps | H.264 MPEG-4 720/30p | AVCHD 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps | AVCHD 1080/60i @ 17Mbps; H.264 MPEG-4 1440x1080/30p @ 12Mbps |
Audio | Mono; mic input | Stereo, mic input | Mono | Stereo; mic input | Stereo; mic input |
LCD size | 3 inches articulated 460,000 dots | 3 inches articulated 460,000 dots | 3 inches fixed AMOLED 614,000 dots | 3 inches articulated 921,600 dots | 3 inches articulated 921,600 dots |
Wireless flash | No | No | No | No | No |
Battery life (CIPA rating) | 390 shots | 320 shots | 400 shots | 330 shots | 330 shots |
Dimensions (inches, WHD) | 4.9 x 3.3 x 2.9 | 4.9 x 3.3 x 1.8 | 4.8 x 3.4 x 1.6 | 4.9 x 3.6 x 3.3 | 4.9 x 3.6 x 3.3 |
Body operating weight (ounces) | 13.1 | 15.2 | 14.5 | 17.4 (est) | 17.4 (est) |
Mfr. Price | n/a | n/a | n/a | $649.99 (body only) | $749.99 (body only) |
$720.00 (with 14-42mm lens) | $1,350.00 (with 14-140mm lens) | $699.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $749.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | $849.99 (with 18-55mm lens) | |
n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
Ship date | May 2010 | June 2009 | March 2010 | August 2010 | September 2010 |
I give the cameras high marks for general photographic usability, and the drop-down articulated LCD, like the one on the
The video capture, however, will probably annoy a lot of folks who are wishing it's more than it is, and it annoys me because the capabilities feel arbitrarily constrained--like Sony's planning to put them in a more expensive model. First, there are practically no manual exposure controls, and what few there are you can't set independently from still photos. There's an aperture-priority movie capture mode, but it only works with manual focus, and it locks the aperture wide open. This is likely to keep the A-mount lens' loud aperture activation from registering on the audio track.
But typical consumers used to point-and-shoot video, Flip camcorders, or even your typical sub-$600 HD camcorder will likely find it both comfortable to shoot video and will like the result (although as I mentioned I'm withholding judgment on the potential lens noise). Because of the fast AF, large sensor, and better metering system, the few pieces of footage I shot looked as good as anything I've shot with a decent consumer camcorder, and with some practice would probably look even better.
Ditto goes for the still photos. While they had a bit of the point-and-shoot look I don't expect from a camera in its price range, the A55 had very good noise reduction at ISO 6400 and 12800, and most consumers will find the continuous-shooting autofocus performance and photo quality good enough for shooting kids, pets, and sports--the mainstream dSLR trifecta. Keep in mind that a fast (30MB/sec) SD card will make a big difference in your burst performance experience.
The SLT-A33 and A55 are relatively expensive, especially for most people who are looking for dSLR capabilities at well less than $600. But their closest competitor is really the Panasonic DMC-GH1, which offers an even better set of video chops, albeit at a much higher price (in part due to the pricey lens it comes with). However, rumors abound that its successor is slated for announcement at Photokina in September, making that a wild card. Sony's translucent mirror technology is likely only one of a few solutions we'll see over the next year to solve the video AF problem in still cameras, but for the moment, it looks like it's a workable one for the mainstream--and one limited enough that won't cannibalize Sony's potential market for the